Srinagar
Lawyers from Jammu on Friday unanimously passed a Resolution for strengthening and retention of Article 35-A of the Constitution of India.
The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Senior Advocate A V Gupta (Former President Bar Association Jammu) at Justice Vinod Gupta Bar Hall, High Court, Jammu.
Sr. Adv. A.V. Gupta submitted that Late Maharaja Hari Singh had executed an instrument of Accession with certain conditions which later came out in the shape of Article 35-A read with Article 370 of the Constitution of India. He further submitted if Article 35-A or Article 370 is deleted then accession of State of J&K with the dominion of India gets shaky.
A.V. Gupta further said that Article 35-A is beneficial for the permanent residents of J&K State and one of the examples he quoted is free education from Class 1st up to University Level.
Former Advocate General and Senior Advocate M A. Goni strongly expressed the need for creating mass awareness amongst the people of J&K State regarding the retention of Article 35-A. Goni quoted several Judgments of the Apex Court and State High Court and was of the view that petitions challenging Article 35-A are not maintainable and further said that there is a dire need for protecting the Unique Identity of J&K State.
Former Sr. AAG S.C. Gupta submitted that those who are for the scrapping of Article 35-A should first surrender their permanent resident certificates and then work in the State. Gupta further said that Jammu people must support their Kashmiri brethren on the issue of retention of Article 35-A as the State of J&K has its own identity and special status guaranteed under Article 370.
Former ASGI K.K. Pangotra strongly advocated the retention of Article 35-A and further submitted that it is only Jammu people who will be adversely affected with the influx of huge population from the other States of India as no one will settle in Kashmir Valley and only the resources of Jammu shall be exploited at the cost of Jammu people.
